Copy of Two Beggars 1785

Baron Dominique Vivant Denon made this print, “Copy of Two Beggars,” using etching techniques. Born in 1747, Denon lived through the French Revolution, and the rise and fall of Napoleon, which gave him a front-row seat to dramatic social upheavals. This small print throws into stark relief the disparities of wealth and status in 18th-century Europe. Denon depicts two figures marked by their poverty. What does it mean to be a beggar? What assumptions do we make about the laboring classes, and how might this influence our understanding of the two men in the print? Are we looking at a social commentary? Denon does not offer a romantic vision. Instead, his image is rooted in the daily realities of the dispossessed, those who lived on the margins of society. This piece serves not only as a historical document but also as a mirror reflecting our own attitudes toward those struggling with poverty today.